


when all is lost, then all is found

by thesatanistauthor



Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: AU ??, Alternate Ending, Alternate Story, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, M/M, link being a supportive buddy as always, slight angst ??, there is cuteness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-25
Updated: 2020-01-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:29:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22406482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesatanistauthor/pseuds/thesatanistauthor
Summary: Maybe Levi should have said something. But others were dying around him, and it seemed like nothing.Until it was.-AKA an alternate version of the mid-season premiere where Levi does actually get hurt (kinda)
Relationships: Nico Kim & Atticus Lincoln, Nico Kim/Levi Schmitt
Comments: 4
Kudos: 399





	when all is lost, then all is found

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written in ages and this is really bad and I know its bland so please don't be mean to me I'm so scared to post this and I know I should have gone into more detail but I'm also in pain so it's hard to concentrate pls don't be mean i tried :((

Levi knows he should have told someone. He should have told someone, anyone, but other people had needed help more than he had. 

Taryn was dying, Blake was dying, Casey was having a PTSD episode, a man and woman were dying in the car that had caused this whole mess. His injury didn't seem like much. 

Until it was. 

When the car had shifted, bringing down more debris and weakening the structure of the bar even more, a piece of debris has hit Levi. He thinks it was a brick, or a beam, he wasn't quite sure at the time. It all happened so fast. Either way, he knew it hurt and he knew that he was hurt. 

Levi was trying his best to work through it, but the pain in his stomach kept growing, and growing, and _growing_. 

"Levi, we need you in Helm's surgery," Meredith instructs as she passes him, grabbing his attention away from his thoughts. He nods, following along behind her. With every step, it felt like he would blackout at any second, pain searing through his abdomen. He places his hand over his stomach for a brief second as they enter the OR.

They prep for surgery in silence, neither of them really knowing what they should say to each other. Half of Levi thinks he should mention to Meredith that he was injured too, but he discards the thought when he raises his eye line, seeing Helm on the operating table in the other room. 

His injury could wait just a bit longer. 

"Right, let's get in there," Meredith lets out a sigh as she watches through the window as the nurses talk to Helm. Levi purses his lips together as he switches his gaze to Meredith. She looks worried. Terrified, even. That didn't help calm Levi's nerves. 

Just as Levi is about to enter into the OR, Link and Nico walk through the door, ready to prep. Nico instantly smiles at Levi, who smiles back as best he can. 

The pain he feels begins to get significantly worse. He hopes it doesn't show in his face. 

"She's going to be fine, Levi," Nico reassures as best he can, hoping it would help calm Levi. He could tell that Levi was on edge; he would be too, if it was Levi in that situation. "Link and I promise to do our absolute best."

Levi nods in response, feeling almost too nauseous to respond verbally, though he knows that Nico and Link would do their very best. He had no doubt about that, ever. For a second, he glances at Helm and Meredith, who are chatting away. Before he heads in, though, he wraps his arms around Nico's waist in a hug. 

It takes Nico by surprise, but he instantly hugs back, pressing his nose into Levi's hair. They stay like that, swaying slightly as they hug. It feels nice and warm, and most importantly, safe. Levi wishes he could stay there forever, where everything was okay. 

Where no one hurt, and no one was dying.

Nico mutters a small ' _I love you_ ' into Levi's hair just before they part, Levi heading into the OR with Meredith as Nico stays behind to prep with Link. 

Something in Nico's gut is telling him that something isn't right, that this isn't just nerves. Something is telling him that Levi is keeping something from him. Even so, he begins to scrub in, occasionally glancing up through the window into the OR. 

"Are you okay?" Link asks from beside him, breaking the silence. 

Nico sucks in a deep breath and thinks for a second. He wasn't injured at all, but witnessing something like that is more than traumatizing. Seeing Levi so upset isn't helping the cause much, either. 

He nods, "Yeah, I'm okay. I was one of the lucky ones."

"I can't even begin to imagine how terrifying that must have been."

"Yeah," Nico almost laughs as he responds; he isn't quite sure how else he could respond to that, "it's not every day a car comes through the wall of a bar."

"I'm sorry you had to go through that," Nico doesn't quite understand why Link is apologizing, but either way, he accepts it. "How's Schmitt holding up?" 

That question stumps Nico. An answer wasn't really something he could give for that; it wasn't his question to answer. Even so, he couldn't tell how Levi really was. It all seemed so... wrong. 

Nico just sighs and lifts his shoulders in a shrug as some sort of response. Link understands, staying silent. Perhaps questioning Nico so much after going through all that wasn't a great idea. They stay in silence and continue to scrub. They had a leg to fix, after all. 

All seems to be going to plan, until they both hear Meredith call out Levi's name, and a thud. They both look up and the next thing Nico knows is that he's kneeling beside Levi, who is laying unconscious on the OR floor. 

For a moment, everything moves in slow motion and he can't catch his breath; what the _hell_ had just happened? Levi had seemed fine just a couple of minutes ago. He snaps back into reality when Link places a hand on his shoulder and he instantly gets to helping Levi. 

"What the hell happened?" Link frantically asks as he removes Levi's scrub cap, discarding it to the side. Nico removes Levi's surgical gloves, throwing them in the same direction as the scrub cap. He looks pale. Too pale. 

"Helm and I were talking and suddenly Levi just lost all colour and down he went," Meredith explains, staying by Helm's side. A few of the nurses were assisting Link and Nico now, preparing to get Levi out of the room and into one of his own. "I have no idea what happened, he seemed fine a couple of minutes ago!"

"Was he checked over when he came into the hospital?" Link questions. 

"No, he said he was fine and refused it," Nico rushes out, clearly panicked. Both Link and Meredith share a concerned glance at Nico's tone. It wasn't like him to be so unnerved. Then again, his boyfriend was currently unconscious on the floor at his knees. "He never said anything."

Link places his fingers under Levi's jaw, counting his pulse. Nico watches on, stumped as to why Levi had so suddenly fainted like he had. He knew Levi had a history of fainting, though it was usually when he saw blood, as he'd been told. It had been a good while since that had happened. 

Everyone in the room works together to rush Levi from the OR to a treatment room, where they can get a proper idea as to why he collapsed. Link orders a full check on Levi, to make sure that it's nothing serious, and so they can get the right treatment as soon as possible. 

Nico stays by Levi's side the whole time, not once leaving, despite Link's constant request for him to leave. Deep down, he knew it was because Link knew he wouldn't be of any help, that he was now just someone in the way instead of a doctor. As much as he wanted to help, he felt frozen. 

Eventually, however, a nurse manages to escort him out of the room, taking him to a room where he could sit and take a few deep breaths. Getting overworked and anxious would be no help to him in the long run of things. 

Nico sits in one of the chairs, knee bouncing as he leans forward, head in hands, mentally beating himself up for not insisting that Levi get checked out too. The gut feeling he'd had, he should have listened. He should have just asked Levi if he was really as okay as he was saying he was. 

The room is silent. Too silent for his liking. He's so used to the sound of heart monitors, or screaming patients, or devasted family members crying over their loved ones, that the silence is now _deafening_. 

For once, he wishes that there was something to break the silence that surrounded him. It kept him trapped in his own mind. That wasn't a place he wanted to be right now. Not when Levi was in another room, being worked on by doctors and nurses, even though he knew they were the best of the best. 

Levi was in safe hands. Nico just wishes he could be there with him, to let him know that everything would be okay. 

-

"Schmitt, can you hear me?" A voice calls out, and Levi hears it. He manages to blink his eyes open a little, head throbbing and everything blurry. It was bright; where was he? What had happened?

He can hear people rushing about, plastic crinkling, a faint beeping, voices speaking to one another, though he wasn't able to make anything out. He feels a sharp scratch in right arm, and assumes it's an IV or injection of some sort. 

There is so much going on, so much he can't make out, that it's no surprise he blacks out again. 

-

When he next wakes up, he's in a hospital bed, in a hospital gown. It feels weird. There's an aching in his right arm and he tries to turn his head to look, but his neck is stiff and it aches. Everything feels heavy, and he feels incredibly sleepy. The aching in his head has subsided, as has the aching in his stomach. 

"He's going to be fine, but can you keep an eye on him? Check on him every hour, make sure his vitals are fine. Page me if anything changes at all." 

A faint, muffled voice comes from where Levi assumes the door is. It's a familiar voice - Meredith? Now he really was confused. Wasn't he meant to be assisting in the OR with her? Why was he in a hospital bed. 

"Yes, of course. Do you want me to go update Dr. Kim?" 

"No, I can do that myself." 

His eyes begin to feel heavy again, the sedation still not completely worn off. Though he fights it, making an effort to turn his head to where the voices are originating from. He blinks a couple of times, clearing his vision and adjusting to the brightness of the room. 

"Hey, Dr. Schmitt, can you hear me?" It is Meredith. Levi knows that voice anywhere. He forces a sort of sleepy, drugged-up smile, and he hears Meredith laugh. She places a hand on his shoulder, gently rubbing it as he places his own hand over hers. "Glad to see you awake. You'll still feel pretty sleepy, so I'll leave you to rest some more."

Levi squeezes her hand as she moves to leave, which catches her attention. She looks down at him, brow raised as she waits for Levi to speak. His throat feels dry and scratchy and he hates the feeling, but even so, he clears his throat and attempts to speak. 

"What happened?" he croaks out, brows furrowing as he desperately tries to remember himself. He feels like he knows, but it's just too foggy at the moment. It will come back to him, he's sure.

He thinks she sees her smile, though he isn't sure. 

"You fainted in the OR as we were prepping Helm for surgery," she starts, allowing herself to perch on the edge of Levi's bed, "we did some tests. You have some pretty nasty internal bruising, though you will be fine."

Levi just sort of scoffs, feeling stupid that he didn't tell anyone about this sooner. Nico is probably worried sick out of his mind. 

"You scared the hell out of us, Schmitt. I've never seen Nico so terrified," her voice is low as she speaks, almost whisper-like. It makes Levi's heart ache, just a little. He lets out a deep sigh and manages a little nod. "also, you most likely fainted due to something called broken heart syndrome. It's all the symptoms of a heart attack, but without the heart attack."

Again, Levi nods. He's really too sleepy (and perhaps a little high from the drugs) to fully take everything in. Meredith can see he's struggling to stay awake, so she shoots him a soft smile as she stands from the bed. 

"I'll leave you now, get some rest, Schmitt."

Meredith doesn't even make it out the door before Levi is asleep again. 

-

Link ended up going in to finish the surgery on Helm, which went as well as it could have. She was now recovering, doing really well. Link had dropped by after the surgery, hoping Nico had heard something about Levi. 

There had been nothing. There still wasn't anything. Nico was beginning to lose his mind. 

"What if he's died? What if he is dead and they just don't want to tell me?" Nico paces around the room, dragging his fingers through his hair. Link lets out a sigh, leaning on his knees as he watches Nico pace. 

"I'm very sure that isn't the case, Nico. I'm sure he's-"

"You're a doctor, you know you shouldn't say that!" Nico interrupts, snapping at Link before he could even finish his sentence. 

Link purses his lips together, a look of frustration plastered on his face. He stands from his chair and walks over to Nico, arms folded across his chest. 

"Yes, Nico, I know I shouldn't say that. However, I also know that if I don't calm you down, you will lose your mind. Levi will be fine. You will be fine. Please, sit down and take a few deep breaths." 

Link rests his hands on Nico's shoulders, giving them a little squeeze, which seems to bring him back a little. It takes a second for Nico to take a deep breath, eyes shutting for a moment as he takes this opportunity to breathe. Link leads him back over to the chairs and sits him down, and they wait together, in complete silence. Neither of them knows what to say to each other. 

It gives Nico a sense of calm, having Link sat with him. Other than Levi, Link knows Nico the best. He knows him, he knows how to understand him. Nico almost thinks it's a miracle he can do that. 

It seems like hours pass before Meredith arrives, scrub cap still on, face unreadable. It makes Nico feel absolutely sick to his stomach. Is this how all those families feel when they see him? 

Nico's hands are so tightly knitted together that his hands almost go numb, knuckles white. Link nudges Nico's knee with his own, letting him know that everything is going to be okay. Meredith is silent for a moment as she glances between the two, before a smile erupts on her face. 

Still, Nico holds his breath, waiting to hear the absolute worst. 

"Schmitt's okay," She finally speaks, to which Nico finally lets go of the breath he'd been holding. Link wraps an arm around Nico's shoulder, giving him a slight side hug. 

Even he was relieved to hear the news. Everyone was. "Turns out, when the car shifted, a piece of debris had caught him. It isn't anything serious, so you don't need to worry anymore. We've sorted it. He also has something known as broken heart syndrome, which isn't much to worry about."

The confused looks coming from both men let Meredith know they don't quite understand. 

"It's like a heart attack," Nico tenses up as Meredith explains, so she's swift to carry on before Nico can begin to panic again, "it's all the symptoms, without the actual heart attack."

The tense feeling Nico held in his shoulders finally releases as he lets out a massive relieved sigh, getting up from his seat as he takes two large strides over to Meredith to hug her, so thankful for taking care of Levi. 

The sudden hug takes Meredith by surprise and she lets out a little yelp, but inevitably hugs Nico back. When they split, the look on Nico's face is completely readable, and it almost makes Meredith laugh.

"I can see it in your face, you know?" Meredith quips, pointing at Nico. He lifts a brow in confusion, head slightly tilted as to what she means. "Yes, you can go see him. Last room on the left of this corridor." 

Nico barely even squeaks out a ' _thank you_ ' before he brushes past Meredith, Link trailing behind him as he jogs down the corridor. Once he reaches Levi's room, he turns to face Link. He shoots him a thankful smile and nod, before entering the room. Link knows better than to follow him in right now, and leaves him to have some time alone with Levi. 

Nico makes sure to shut the door as quietly as possible when he enters, seeing that Levi is still asleep. He sneaks over to the chair placed beside the bed and sits himself down, settling into it. He tilts his head as he watches Levi sleep. He looks so much better than he did before, finally getting his colour back. 

Nico swears to himself that he won't let Levi know just how worried he got, knowing it would only worry Levi even more. Levi hates people being worried over him. That Nico knows. 

Nico happens to doze off in the chair himself as he waits for Levi, but it's much needed. He's exhausted and his whole body aches, begging for rest. That much he could do. 

It's only when Levi begins to shift as he wakes that Nico prys his eyes open, a faint grin spreading onto his lips as he sees Levi waking up. He shifts in his chair and leans forward, still grinning from ear to ear as he looks at Levi. Levi manages to muster up a small smile, too. 

"Hey," is all Nico can say, so relieved and so joyed that Levi is finally awake. 

"Hey," Levi mumbles, watching Nico. He can see the look of worry on Nico's face, despite his best efforts to hide it. However, he's too sleepy to argue about it now. "My heart was broken."

Nico won't admit it, but that almost makes him feel guilty. His smile falters a little as he takes hold of Levi's hand, giving it a comforting squeeze. 

"Mine, too."

Nico takes in a deep breath, admiring how adorable Levi looks when he's sleepy. After all, the drugs would do that, and take a while to wear off. He still wears a smile as he shifts to the edge of his chair, so he can be closer to Levi. 

"Taryn's out of surgery, she's okay."

"Can I go see her?" It's barely above a whisper as he asks.

"Yeah," Nico responds, though there's an ellipsis in his voice, "in a minute."

Levi looks confused for a second, until Nico climbs out of his chair. Instantly, Levi gets what he is doing and shifts over as best he can. Nico clambers onto the hospital bed beside Levi, as Levi turns onto his side. Nico fits onto the small (and actually, rather uncomfortable) hospital bed as best he can, draping an arm over Levi, holding him tight. Levi rests his hands over Nico's arm, still feeling sleepy, but overall content. 

Never once does Nico stop smiling. Not for a minute. 

Neither does Levi. After everything they had been through in the last couple hours, it's no surprise they doze off for a couple more minutes. 

-

Levi is let out the next day, which is more than happy about. Of course, Nico stays by his side the entire time, helping him as much as Levi will allow him to. Of course, that isn't much. 

Thankfully, Nico is given the day off to make sure that Levi is all well. He should be back within a week, which they are both glad about. 

"I'm not going to fall apart, you don't need to stand so close to me," Levi jokes as they enter the apartment, toeing his shoes off as soon as he is in the door. Nico just grins widely, reaching forward to snake his arm around Levi's waist and tug him backward. 

It takes Levi by surprise and he lets out a small yelp as he is pulled back against Nico's chest. He places his hands over Nico's arm as Nico dips his head, planting a kiss just below Levi's ear. 

"Can I not be close to the man I love?" Nico whispers, voice low. It sends a shiver down Levi's spine, but ultimately makes him smile. It's sweet, and cheesy, and hot, all at the same time. Levi can barely stomach it. 

Levi wriggles himself from Nico's grip with a chuckle, escaping into the kitchen. He was starving, as he'd refused to eat the hospital food. That was just plain nasty. Why did they even let the patients eat that stuff? It was pure torture. 

He heads directly for their snack cupboard and opens it up, finding it to be stocked with all his favourite treats. It shocks him to find it so full. When was the last time this cupboard had even be raided?

Nico walks up behind him, once again wrapping his arms around Levi's waist. He rests his chin on Levi's shoulder, slightly tugging him back even more. Levi ignores him as best he can, though he won't lie; it's really quite comforting. 

After a short while, he decides he doesn't want anything and closes the cupboard, turning around in Nico's arms, snaking his own arms around Nico's neck. They don't say anything, just sharing a few moments of silence together. They wouldn't have it any other way. 

"Are you okay?" Levi questions after a few minutes, smile faltering. Nico just nods, but Levi knows Nico better than that. "Nico, I'm serious. Are you okay?" 

Nico presses his lips together in a tight line as he lets out a sigh, shaking his head. Levi's brows furrow together at this, his hands coming to cup Nico's jaw, his thumb gently grazing against Nico's cheek. 

"I just," Nico starts, but stops himself. He doesn't know what to say, or how to say it. "Things could have been so much worse."

"But they weren't," Levi reassures, "and we are both fine. We are so, so lucky, Nico. Yes, it was traumatic and people we love got hurt, but we saved them. Everything is okay."

Still, the look on Nico's face doesn't shift. 

"What if I had lost you?" 

It's that which makes Levi's heart break a little, hearing how worried Nico truly was, how he even struggled to force the words out. Levi just forces himself to smile, though he knows it won't do anything to help the situation. 

"You didn't."

It takes a second or two, but Nico finally lets himself smile. It's a little forced, a little sad, but nonetheless, it's a smile. It will suffice. 

"Now, how about we order a pizza? I'm hungry and I fancy something greasy," Levi suggests, to which Nico instantly perks up at. Before Levi can say anything more, Nico has already rushed off to go and grab his phone off the kitchen counter. 

Levi lets out a laugh and follows after him, joining him seconds later. 

The last couple of days hadn't been easy on either of them. It'd been stressful, painful, _traumatic_. However, it just proved to both of them, how much they truly needed each other. They wouldn't trade each other for the world. 

And that was okay. 


End file.
